Chapter 340: Truth Palace

Due to the recent attack by the Radiance Society, everyone was on guard and avoided gathering again in the short term.

No one could guarantee that someone hadn't defected to the Radiance Society and planned to lure everyone together for a massacre.

Therefore, Xu Dejun set this emergency gathering in an absolute safety zone—rare in the Reason Realm.

The rules of the absolute safety zone resemble those of the Wasteland Realm's Crimson Courtyard: players cannot harm each other within it, nor obstruct other players' actions.

Even if you encounter an enemy, you can leave via the safety zone's teleport point, free from fear of being blocked at the door by the Radiance Society.

The advantage is that everyone can meet here without restraint; the downside is the lack of concealment—evolutionists' spies may recognize you—and it consumes your allotted safe-zone stay time.

Unlike the Wasteland Realm, players in the Reason Realm may only stay one day per fifteen-day cycle.

To enter outside this window, you must spend one thousand Rotten Silver Coins, and each additional day doubles the cost, with monthly resets.

In the Wasteland Realm, Rotten Silver Coins are merely a means to upgrade techniques or buy gear; in the Reason Realm, they represent safety and life itself.

For every Reason Realm player, time spent in the safety zone is extremely precious—unless absolutely necessary, few choose to remain there.

Wu Chang pulled out the tracking coordinate from Xu Dejun's head, freeing him from combat mode and allowing access to the system store.

Xu Dejun rented a two-person flyer from the store and called to Wu Chang:

"Get on—this isn't the Wasteland Realm; the Reason Realm is larger than most dimensions, and we're far from the safety zone—it'll take time to get there."

As the flyer moved forward, the safety zone of the Reason Realm's Crimson Courtyard gradually appeared in Wu Chang's view.

It was a city built of black-and-white giant stones, surrounded by high walls.

At its center stood a massive palace reaching straight to the sky; from any point in the Reason Realm's Crimson Courtyard, if you looked up, you could see the palace.

The Crimson Courtyard spans four layers of the Abyss, each layer's courtyard bearing its own distinct name.

When Wu Chang first entered the Wasteland Realm's Crimson Courtyard, he received an official message stating the Wasteland Realm's Crimson Courtyard was called Mist Square.

The Reason Realm's Crimson Courtyard is named Truth Palace.

Truth Palace refers to the massive palace stretching to the sky at the city's center.

Even before the flyer reached the safety zone, the control panel displayed an entry into the controlled zone with mandatory speed limits.

The controlled zone alone was no smaller than a medium-sized city.

Wu Chang looked down—the so-called controlled zone appeared as ruins of a city, radiating outward from the safety zone.

Recalling the wastelands they'd crossed, he could now discern fragments of ruined cities.

A bold thought surfaced in his mind—he asked:

"Does the controlled zone, including the vast wastelands ahead, mean these were once safety zones of the Reason Realm?"

Xu Dejun said: "No wonder you're called Lord Peace—you're sharp indeed. As you've guessed, these places were once safety zones, but all have been eroded by the Abyss and turned to ruins."

Seeing Wu Chang could ask this, Xu Dejun realized his understanding of the Reason Realm was shallow, and proceeded to explain.

"Lord Peace, any level of Wasteland Realm dungeon failure causes massive disturbances in reality; if a dungeon exceeds C-rank, the eroded area spans at least one city—impossible to hide from those with intent."

"Wasteland Realm C-rank dungeons are that dangerous—but have you ever heard of a Reason Realm dungeon failing and eroding reality?"

Wu Chang shook his head—he'd already noticed this.

It wasn't just about the scale Xu Dejun mentioned; reality had dimensional barriers preventing Reason Realm players from returning, and even those who used the World Pillar to return couldn't exceed Level 45.

Level 45 is enough to bully Wasteland Realm players, but useless against Reason Realm erosion dungeons.

Unless Reason Realm dungeons never fail, any single one eroding reality would be an extinction-level disaster for real-world players.

Xu Dejun continued:

"The greatest difference between the Reason Realm and the Wasteland Realm lies here: Reason Realm dungeons also fail, but when they do, they erode the Crimson Courtyard's safety zones."

Xu Dejun expanded on the topic, describing the Reason Realm's erosion dungeons.

Once, the Reason Realm was like the Wasteland Realm—all areas were safety zones.

Back then, even though Reason Realm players couldn't return to reality, they could live freely within the city.

But as dungeon failures mounted, safety zones collapsed under Abyssal erosion.

Initially, only the number of safety zones decreased; players' lives weren't affected, since Reason Realm players were far fewer than those in the Wasteland Realm and needed less space.

Later, as safety zones shrank further, the Crimson Courtyard restricted player stay times to force them out to fight Abyssal erosion.

But the Reason Realm differs from the Wasteland Realm in one key way: Reason Realm players need only care for themselves.

In the Wasteland Realm, dungeon erosion threatens reality; Wasteland Realm players must rely on reality—whether to protect cities or families, or due to state or organizational orders, they must clear erosion dungeons.

In the Reason Realm, each person is responsible only for themselves—even if all safety zones were erased, it was better than dying in an erosion dungeon to preserve another player's living space.

Only players with extreme confidence in their strength or boundless zeal would risk such low-reward, high-danger tasks.

Thus, as safety zones shrank, so too did permitted stay times.

From twelve days every fifteen, to ten, then seven, now only one day every fifteen.

Xu Dejun said bitterly: "If this continues, free stay time in the safety zone will be abolished entirely."

Wu Chang clicked his tongue—he now understood why the Reason Realm had once coexisted peacefully with the Wasteland Realm, yet suddenly turned mad and began targeting it.

He'd learned the Wasteland Realm had redirected Abyssal erosion into the Reason Realm via World Dungeons, and that the Abyss's third layer had sealed the passage, trapping the Reason Realm's accumulated erosion.

He knew the Reason Realm was squeezed between two realms with harsh conditions—but never imagined it was this dire.

Inside the Abyss Game, you face dungeons; outside, you face Crimson Courtyard erosion. Such a high-pressure survival environment could break few.

He sighed, then couldn't help asking:

"According to you, the Reason Realm was once like the Wasteland Realm—these wastelands were once safety zones. But on the wasteland where Heracles hunted you, why didn't I sense any erosion dungeon aura?"

Xu Dejun sighed. "Because that place is dead."

He paused, then explained what it meant for a safety zone to die.

Eroded safety zones fall into three categories, divided by time cycles—the interval between two World Dungeons forms one major cycle.

The first category: safety zones eroded within a single major cycle—this is the controlled zone we're in now. These areas can still be saved.

By clearing the erosion dungeon within the controlled zone, you can reverse the affected area back into a safety zone.

If a corruption instance cannot be cleared within one major cycle, the region becomes fully corrupted and irreversibly so, yet it can still be cleared.

At this point, if players complete the corruption instance, they can turn the region into their own private space.

Private spaces possess extremely high concealment; within them, one is relatively safe, as long as no outsider breaches the space.

If the second major cycle still fails to clear it, upon entering the third major cycle, the corruption instance will enter a runaway state.

Either the corruption succeeds, tearing off a portion of the Rational Realm and ascending to the Third Abyss Layer, or entering the Intermediate Layer;

Or the corruption fails, the corruption instance shatters, and all life within the instance dimension perishes, save for a few powerful entities.

But regardless of the outcome, the corrupted instance region will die utterly, becoming pure wasteland.

Wu Chang's two rescues of Xu Dejun's wasteland came about through just such a transformation.

After hearing Xu Dejun's account, Wu Chang looked again at the control zone beneath his feet, his gaze turning complex.

Not long from now, after the World Instance, this vast control zone will become an irreversible non-safe area.

In places he cannot see, many more corruption instances will enter runaway states—ascending, entering the Intermediate Layer, or shattering.

Compared to the Wasteland Realm, the Abyss of the Rational Realm has only just bared its fangs.

Either evolve forward, or stagnate and die.

In Wu Chang's silence, the aircraft passed through the control zone and entered the safe zone.

Wu Chang is not a Rational Realm player and has no free quota; Xu Dejun paid one thousand Rotten Silver Coins for him to enter the safe zone.

The scarcity of space in the Rational Realm's safe zone means there are no official private spaces; to conduct discussions, one must rent private rooms similar to those in public-area taverns.

Xu Dejun added a time limit to his summoning message, requiring all to arrive within five hours.

The two did not wait long before all members of the Order Faction who had replied to the meeting invitation arrived.

According to Xu Dejun, there were originally thirty-three members at the meeting; most were mid- to high-ranking members of the Rational Realm's Order Faction.

In Xu Dejun's self-deprecating words, their talents were limited—they could not awaken divinity, and most had not even reached level cap.

Yet they joined the Bureau early, or had rendered great service to it, and thus held considerable status.

This left them in an awkward position: neither able to rise nor fall.

They lacked the strength to manage Rational Realm members, yet ignoring them as ordinary members would demoralize others.

Thus, before severing ties with the Wasteland Realm, they were assigned to manage matters related to the Wasteland Realm, granting them dignity in both the Wasteland and reality.

Only twenty-one were present now; those who did not reply must already have been killed by the Light Society.

Their status was also evident in their combat power: in the Rational Realm, where strength is truth, the players' qi signatures were mostly similar to Xu Dejun's—none had reached the Rational Realm's level cap.

The strongest among them had only just begun to manifest a divine qi signature, barely touching the edge of semi-divinity—far weaker than Heracles.

With such strength, no wonder two full members of the Light Society had been hunting them down.

Seeing everyone arrived, Xu Dejun briefly introduced Wu Chang, saying he had escaped death only thanks to Wu Chang's aid.

As the overseers of the Wasteland Realm, the others had long heard of Wu Chang; now seeing him in person, they could not help but scrutinize him.

This man had no extra heads or arms—how could he possibly rescue someone from the Light Society?

As the others studied Wu Chang, Wu Chang studied them.

Of the twenty-one present, three had Qufu's location coordinates hovering above their heads.

Surviving with Qufu's mark above one's head was suspicious.

But then again, if they were truly Light Society moles, even if unaware of Heracles' death, they should know Wu Chang could see Qufu's location coordinates.

Knowing this and still coming forward suggested their identities were genuine.

After hearing Xu Dejun's introduction, one impatient member blurted out:

"Xu Lao, why did you rush us here so urgently? What's the emergency?"

A plump man dressed in a robe embroidered with golden coins, resembling a pawnshop owner, chimed in:

"And you picked the safe zone? I've already exceeded my limit four times this month—this trip cost me sixteen thousand Rotten Silver Coins. I wonder if I can get reimbursed."

Seeing the group murmur among themselves, Xu Dejun exchanged a glance with Wu Chang, then said:

"I've rushed you here urgently because I need Peace's help to identify the mole hidden among us from the Light Society."

"We just learned of the Light Society's move, and moments later they sent people to block our doors and kill us—do you really believe there's no mole?"

Upon hearing the word "mole," the group's expressions turned solemn.

The impatient member who spoke first said:

"Finding the mole is urgent, but can a mere Wasteland Realm kid really do it?"

"I'm not doubting his strength—he did save Xu Lao from the Light Society, so he must have some ability. But expertise varies: Light Society moles are notoriously hidden; even the Rational Realm has no way to detect them. Can he really do it?"

Wu Chang stood and said:

"Whether I can or cannot—test it and see. If I fail, Xu Lao will reimburse all of you for your expenses to reach the safe zone."

Several present had been dissatisfied, especially the plump pawnshop owner who had spent sixteen thousand Rotten Silver Coins after four overlimits—his face instantly lit up with a smile.

The group chorused: "Xu Lao, you're too generous!"

Xu Dejun turned to Wu Chang, his eyes full of questions.

Wait, you didn't mention this on the way here.

These guys all exceeded their limits at least twice—if I reimburse them all, you're killing me.

Xu Dejun's lips moved several times, but he ultimately did not reject Wu Chang's proposal; instead, he forced a stiff smile and said to the group:

"As Peace has said, if any of you have made this trip in vain, the travel expenses will be borne by me."

Fine. Better to lose money than disaster—consider it payment for saving my life.

Most members agreed to Xu Dejun's proposal; even those reluctant dared not refuse.

To refuse under these circumstances would only suggest guilt—they had no choice but to cooperate.

Wu Chang's detection method was simple: separate everyone into individual rooms.

He questioned each person in turn, asking only simple situational inquiries.

For example, how they escaped when leaving, whether they had seen any suspicious individuals recently, or what their opinions were on the recent actions of the Light Society.

The questions themselves were unimportant; what mattered was gaining the chance to be alone with them.

In the Order Realm, especially on the side of the Order Faction, finding a Light Society relic was ridiculously easy.

He attempted to use the skill "Survivor's Revenge"—"Hatred Mark"—to detect which of them were Light Society members.

Previously, during the Curse-Bound Instance, he had used this trick to lock onto Li Zi, and it worked extremely well.

To ensure he could test everyone in one go, Wu Chang sped through the questioning process, finishing with all present in under an hour.

The process went smoothly, but the results were disappointing.

Twenty-one individuals were questioned one by one in private, but Survivor's Revenge gave no reaction.

Just as Impatient had said, the Light Society's moles cultivated within the Order Realm were far more troublesome than those in the Wasteland Realm.

Then again, it made sense—if a Wasteland Realm A-rank item like Survivor's Revenge could easily uncover Order Realm moles, the Order Faction would have already purged their own ranks.

It seemed a method superior to A-rank items, even superior to Order Realm detection techniques, was needed to uncover the moles.

Did Wu Chang have such a method? Indeed, he did.

While others weren't looking, Wu Chang pulled out the Omniscient Crystal and asked:

"Among those Order Faction members just now, who harbored guilt, and who are Light Society moles?"

The Omniscient Crystal rotated in midair, then shortly delivered Wu Chang a list, along with each person's suspicious traits.

Wu Chang felt the information in his mind, and a smile curled his lips.

From the start, his reliance wasn't just Survivor's Revenge.

He claimed the questions didn't matter, that he only needed to be alone with a few, merely to deceive Xu Dejun.

The questions he asked weren't random—they were carefully crafted, personally designed by the Omniscient Crystal.

Undoubtedly, as a suspected product of the Abyss's fourth layer, the Omniscient Crystal's capabilities far surpassed those of the Order Realm—even the Light Society could not resist it.

Sorry, this time I really cheated.

But it's an official, legal cheat.

After analysis, two of the twenty-one were confirmed Light Society moles, and one was a suspected Evolution Faction mole.

The two individuals marked by Kuafu's locator were not Light Society moles.

They survived purely by luck—Kuafu never got the chance to hunt them down.

Wu Chang conducted a symbolic second interrogation, and while the two weren't looking, he crushed the locator coordinates above their heads.

Then he announced to all that his abilities were insufficient, and he had failed to identify the moles, offering his apologies.

No one resented Wu Chang's failure; even Xu Dejun felt a sense of relief.

It seemed this kid wasn't all-powerful—though he ruled the Wasteland Realm, he still stumbled in the Order Realm.

He was just like them—he could misjudge, he could fail.

The crowd spontaneously offered reassurances:

"Peace Lord, you've truly tried hard—it's just that the Light Society is too cunning."

"Peace Lord, don't worry; helping Xu Lao find the moles is our duty."

Wu Chang gave Xu Dejun a glance and said:

"In that case, please follow Xu Lao back to the Order Faction's private space. Since this matter started because of me, I'll pay half the travel expenses."

Receiving Wu Chang's glance, Xu Dejun's heart skipped.

No way—he actually figured out who the Light Society moles were?

Xu Dejun casually selected a large, private Order Faction space to put everyone at ease.

The crowd activated the teleportation array; a flash of light, and they entered the large private space.

Before anyone could fully see, three figures cried out in shock and vanished instantly, leaving only pools of water on the ground.

Peace vanished with them.

Impatient stared blankly for a moment, then asked:

"Xu Lao, what's going on?"

Xu Dejun smiled bitterly: "I don't know either. Let's trust Peace Lord—he'll give us an explanation."

"An explanation? Never mind whether his judgment was right or wrong—if he killed those three, how do we know what's real?"

"Yes."

……

The crowd began arguing, immediately planning to summon Order Faction experts in the private space for judgment.

Before they could reach a conclusion, Wu Chang reappeared—he raised his hand and tossed out three half-dead, dazed moles, drenched in Blind Abyss Water.

Seeing Wu Chang's calm face, not even breathing heavily, then glancing at the three semi-conscious colleagues on the ground, the crowd fell silent.

Two of the three had grotesque, gaping holes in their abdomens—their armor and bodies both pierced clean through, visible from front to back.

But the wounds didn't look like puncture injuries—they resembled damage originating from within.

The third had no blood, but his limbs were twisted into knots, his whole body convulsing uncontrollably—far more horrifying.

Wu Chang scanned the crowd and said: "Don't worry—I was careful. I won't kill them."

(End of Chapter)